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Chameleos Ecology
In-Game Information Eyewitness sightings of this Elder Dragon are extremely rare due to its ability to disappear at will. It is thought that shocking it may make it reappear, but this method has not yet been tested. Taxonomy As with most Elder Dragons, the Chameleos does not neatly fit into any other known taxonomic monster group. They are classified as "True" Elder Dragons because of their body structure, resembling that of Kushala Daora and Teostra, though there are little or no similar characteristics between them other than this. Habitat Range The Chameleos' habitat range is restricted to tropical and subtropical environments such as the the Swamp, Jungle, Primal Forest, Unknown Great Forest and the Forest and Hills. The beast will not venture from these temperate climates, and it doesn't appear capable of surviving in environmental extremes. Interestingly there have been incidents where Chameleos have wandered into the Town. Ecological Niche Chameleos are ambush hunters, waiting patiently for prey to pass by while they blend perfectly into their surroundings. Chameleos can and will eat almost anything, and can use different tactics to take down varying sizes of prey. Should its prey be a Neopteron such as a Vespoid, Altaroth, Bnahabra, or Konchu it will simply snatch it out of the air using its long sticky tongue. Should the Chameleos' prey be larger, it will first douse its foe with a blast of acid before rushing in to attack with its claws or poison. Chameleos are equally adept at hunting from both air and land, although when flying they run the risk of having either their wings' flapping heard or their unique scent detected by large wyverns. Their eating patterns most likely vary according to their size and age. For example, a small Chameleos might only be able to eat a Mosswine or a Velociprey, whereas a very large Chameleos might be able to hunt much larger prey such as a small Yian Kut-Ku or a Bulldrome. Chameleos coexsist with large predators such as Deviljho, Najarala, Rajang, Teostra and Seregios. If confronted by such threats a Chameleos would rather turn invisible and flee rather than standing their ground and fight. Biological Adaptations Chameleos are different from other Elder Dragons, as they are not nearly as "elegant" in their appearance as other Elder Dragon species. It is also more reptilian in appearance. Although Chameleos are designed to resemble a chameleon, its appearance is more similar to a leaf tailed gecko, and its predatory nature, intelligence, and venom are more like that of a monitor lizard. Chameleos have a number of biological adaptations that make them extremely unique. Most notably is the Chameleos' trademark camouflage mechanism. it is unknown how for sure but Chameleos will produce a near flawless illusion on its skin. Its believed to be able to this through electricity. This illusion is not however, perfect. The creatures have a strong scent, ripples can be seen when its muscles move, and any noises it makes are obviously still noticeable. Also, if Chameleos sustains significant damage or dismemberment to its tail and or horn, it can lose its ability altogether. Chameleos also loses its stealth if poisoned, as its body will be busy battling the toxic invaders and it will involuntarily lose control of its camouflage. Chameleos have independently moving eyeballs that protrude from the sides of its head to create a wider field of vision. A Chameleos will constantly scan the immediate area, searching for any potential prey, sizable threat, or just to create a realistic illusion on their skin. Chameleos have several nasty defenses should it ever come under attack. Chameleos stomach acid is incredibly potent, capable of dissolving all but rock. In a pinch, the dragon will regurgitate a large glob of stomach acid and hurl it at a foe. If not washed off or otherwise removed quickly, it can literally begin digesting the unfortunate victim. For hunters this often means severe armor degradation and severally decreased stamina. Chameleos also possess an extremely strong poison, it can be released from its mouth at will and often whipped into a thick cloud by the dragon's wings. And last some Chameleos possess a extra vocal cord paralysis poison in their acid globs. Some rare individuals have the strange ability to make floating stamina draining bubbles come from the ground around them when angered. They appear to be more intelligent also as they will use there tongue to launch hunters into the air, they will then make a poison cloud the targets will be hit by mid air. There ability's to make acid globs and poison stamina draining spray is also improved as they can spit 3 globs at once and make a more wide spray. Behavior Chameleos are very intelligent creatures. They will wait patiently at a spot of importance such as a water source or natural crossroads, waiting for prey to pass by. During this time it will make as little noise as possible and remain perfectly still. If this "sit-and-wait" approach is not working, Chameleos will take a much more active approach to hunting. It will silently fly over its hunting grounds (cloaked the entire time), scanning the ground for prey. Chameleos are not as aggressive as their elder brethren. When not threatened, and preferably full, Chameleos are actually quite docile. The creature has even been observed abandoning its camouflage and taking a drink from a forest spring alongside much smaller creatures such as Mosswine. When threatened however, Chameleos reveals its true colors. It will do everything in its power to kill its aggressor; this ranges from tongue attacks, to claw swipes, rams, and even the use of acid and poison. Should Chameleos emerge victorious, it will promptly devour its victim, and then silently slip back into the forest. When they run into other large monsters, for example a Rathalos or Rathian, they don't usually confront them, the Chameleos usually stays out of sight; no one knows whether this is out of fear from other large monsters or just ignoring them because they are too large to digest, altough the later is more plausible as the Chameleos can be more than a match for them. Even Kushala Daora, being smaller, prefers to leave Chameleos alone when the two meet up in the Jungle. Category:Monster Ecology